International Artist – August-September 2019

(^54) http://www.InternationalArtist.com

OILUNITED KINGDOM

DEMONSTRATION

S

pending time with nature has always

been a huge source of inspiration,

and the mountain environment holds

a special fascination for me. I love

scrambling up high to seek out rocky

crags and elevated views of the valleys

below. Painting outdoors is simply the

best way to really immerse yourself

in a landscape and connect with your

subject. “Being there,” I find, is the most

effective way to experience the natural

colour, light and tonal values of a given

landscape, as well as being able to

witness the day as it evolves, capturing

the true essence of the moment. I also

find it much easier for me to get “in the

zone” and totally focus on my painting.

Mountainous areas have their own

weather systems that can provide you

with all four seasons in one day, and

as the artist, you can select elements of

these moments to add to your painting.

The painting then becomes a story of the

whole day, rather than a quick snapshot.

My favourite season for painting

mountains is winter. When the hills

are cloaked in a blanket of snow, it

completely transforms the landscape.

Many of the crags and broken ridges

have been sculpted with blizzard blown

cornices or shrouded in veils of ice.

This helps to define the individual

shape, form and character of each

mountain. Frost and snow reflect the

colour of the skies, and the shadows

change from strong, bold, dark tones

to subtle shades of blues and purples. If

you are lucky enough to catch a winter

sunset or sunrise, you will witness

the hills painted in shades of pinks,

yellows, reds, lilacs and blues that can

be so intense as to look otherworldly

for a short while.

Mountaineering and rock climbing

have been my favourite outdoor activity

since childhood, so combining these

with my lifelong passion for painting

was a natural progression. My years

of experience in the mountains have

provided me with necessary skills

essential for my own safety in these

sometimes-extreme environments,

while I’m trying to capture the essence

of the landscape onto canvas from these

lofty viewpoints.

If you have little or no experience of

Into the Wild

Adventuring into the mountains allows DJ the chance

to experience the landscape firsthand

DJ

Sharp Edge, Blencathra, oil on canvas, 60 x 60 cm (23 x 23")

Early morning sunshine lights up a sharp edge in glorious winter conditions. I felt a square canvas was the

ideal format to complement the angled slopes and ridges in this piece. The colours and tonal values of the

snow in shadow were a real joy to paint.